Perceptions of Nigerian university students about the influence of cigarette advertisement on smoking habit: A quantitative analysis

This study evaluated the perceived impact of cigarette advertisement on smoking habit among students in selected Nigerian universities. It also investigated the influences of age and significant others on the students’ smoking habit as well as the relationship between cigarette advertisement and rate of smoking. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. The sample consisted of 566 smokers (503 males and 63 females) selected from among students of six universities in southwest Nigeria. Data obtained were subjected to both descriptive and inferential analyses using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Simple regression analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t- test were used to examine five hypotheses formulated for the study. The study showed a significant impact relationship between cigarette advertisement and motives for smoking ( =0.279; t =. 6.179; p< 0.001) and also between smokers’ perception of the health hazards associated with cigarette smoking and rate of smoking (t (514) = 4.469, p< 0.001). Smokers’ age and influence of significant others had substantial impact on their motive for smoking ( = 0.348; t = 5.99; p< 0.001; F(4,463) = 2.642; p<0.05). There was however, no significant relationship between cigarette advertisement and rate of smoking ( = 0.026; t= 0.581; p>0.562). The study concluded that cigarette advertisement had significant impact on cigarette smoking habit among students in Nigerian universities. The findings are discussed in the light of its implications for designing smoking intervention programmes targeted at youths